Fishing reels of the spinning type have enjoyed popularity due to the low resistance to dispensing of the line from the spool. In a spinning reel, the fishing line is dispensed axially from the spool over an open spool end and no revolving of the spool about its axis is required. As the reel utilizes no moving parts during casting, maximum distances may be cast with a minimum of skill.
An inherent problem with fishing reels of the spinning type is that a twist is imparted to the line for each wound coil as the line is dispensed, and this twist may remain in the line during retrieval and often results in entanglements and line knotting creating severe problems for the fisherman.
During line retrieval in a spinning reel, the spool is normally nonrotating and a line holder orbits about the spool winding the line thereon. The spool may axially oscillate to encourage line leveling, but as adjacent coils of line are aid upon substantially parallel coils therebelow, the line will often wedge between spooled coils during casting which may cause entanglement or interfere with the free dispensing of the line from the spool. Additionally, conventional spinning reels require line holders which impose significant wear upon the line during retrieval reducing the effective life of the line and gradually reducing the effective life of the line and gradually reducing the tension strength thereof.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fishing reel which has most of the advantages and few of the disadvantages of conventional spinning, spin casting and bait casting reels.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel of the spinning type wherein line twisting and line twist is eliminated.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel having a combined mode of operation wherein retrieval of the fishing line is upon a rotating spool while dispensing of the line is from a nonrotating spool in a spinning mode.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel capable of dispensing line in a spinning mode wherein line twist is eliminated, and during retrieval of the line, the line is deposited on the spool in a crisscross manner automatically providing level winding free of line wedging during casting.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel utilizing a rotating spool during retrieval simultaneously rotating about two axes to eliminate line twist, and wherein dispensing of the line from the spool during casting is in a nonrotating spool spinning mode.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel capable of winding a fishing line upon a spool with an automatic level wind and crisscross depositing of the line upon previously coiled layers wherein no line engaging orientation devices are required at the spool which would cause the line to wear.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a fishing reel selectively positionable on the fishing rod between line retrieval and line casting positions wherein the spool rotates about its normal axis during retrieval and is nonrotative during casting which is in a spinning mode, and automatic indexing means are utilized to properly orient the spool to its support structure during casting.
In the practice of the invention a housing is pivotally mounted upon support structure of a conventional nature which is attached to the fish rod reel mounting surface. The housing is pivotally mounted to its support for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the length of the associated rod, and a thumb-engaging handle defined on the housing permits the housing and reel structure to be pivoted from a line-retrieving position to a line-casting position. A spring biases the housing toward the line-retrieval position.
A crank is rotatably mounted upon the housing and a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing is geared to the crank for rotation thereby. The axis of the shaft is perpendicular to the housing pivot axis, and when the reel is in its line-retrieval position the shaft length will be generally oriented in the direction of the associated rod.
The outer end of the shaft extends from the housing and includes an extension of a generally axial orientation upon which a fishing line spool having an open end is mounted about an axis which is perpendicular to the shaft axis. A gear concentric to the spool axis meshes with a intermediary gear located upon the shaft extension, which, in turn, meshes with a gear fixed to the housing and concentric to the shaft. Thus, upon rotation of the shaft about its axis the spool will be simultaneously rotated about the shaft axis and its own axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the shaft axis.
The simultaneous rotation of the spool about two axes perpendicularly disposed to each other during line retrieval will eliminate the line twist produced in the line during the casting in the spinning mode.
During line retrieval as the line is wound upon the spool, the gearing interconnecting the spool to the housing is of such ratio that the rate of rotation of the spool about its normal axis of rotation is slightly different than the rate of rotation of the shaft. This difference in the rates of rotation of the spool about its normal axis of rotation and that of the shaft causes the line to be wound on the spool such that successive line coils will be circumferentially spaced upon the inner coils on which they are wound, and will be in a nonparallel relationship thereto. Also, during line retrieval the line extends across the spool width producing a crisscross diagonal line pattern on the spool, and this crisscross winding automatically produces leveling of the line on the spool, and as successively wound layers of the line are not parallel to each other, but are obliquely related, line wedging is eliminated and during casting the line will be freely dispensed from the spool insuring maximum casting distance.
During casting, the housing, and associated reel structure, are pivoted approximately 90.degree. from the position of the reel structure during line retrieval, and the spool will be located at a greater distance from the reel than during retrieval. This change of orientation of the spool with respect to the rod is of advantage in that locating the spool close to the rod during line retrieval provides the best control when landing fish, while locating the spool further from the rod during spin casting reduces "line slap" on the rod, which wears the line and reduces casting distance.
When it is desired to cast, the housing is pivoted by means of its thumb handle, and the crank is rotated in the direction opposite to that used during line retrieval. An indexing device mounted upon the inner end of the shaft within the housing engages a plunger mounted on the housing which will prevent further reverse rotation of the shaft when the spool is properly oriented to the housing and rod for casting in the spinning mode, i.e. the open end of the spool is disposed in the direction of the rod length and line guides. During casting, the spool is stationary, and due to the level crisscross wind of the line on the spool the line is dispensed over the spool open end with minimal resistance to achieve a maximum casting distance. Release of the thumb pressure on the thumb handle permits the housing, and associated reel structure, to pivot under the influence of a spring force to the line retrieval position and winding of the crank in the line retrieval direction will rotate the shaft to rotate the spool about its dual axes and wind the line thereon.
In an embodiment of the invention, a bail is included in the reel structure having a curved portion adapted to be disposed adjacent the spool during retrieval to aid in the control of the line. While the use of the bail is not necessary, some fishermen may prefer its use with the apparatus of the invention. The bail includes an inner end which is rotatably associated with the shaft, and the outer end of the bail is rotatably mounted upon the extension in substantial alignment with the shaft axis. A hub mounted upon the bail inner end is selectively engagable by reciprocal pins mounted on the housing, and engagement of a pin and hub orients the hub relative to a locking pin which prevents relative rotation between the bail and housing. This locking of the bail with respect to the housing will maintain the bail in the desired location during casting and also permits the bail to properly orient the spool for casting.